Mary Beard edited from U.S. version of Civilizations by PBS for ageism, sexism, odd old-ladyism

Mary Beard is accusing US broadcaster (PBS) of editing her out of Civilizations to make the episodes more anodyne, saying her on-screen appearances as a "slightly creaky old lady with long grey hair" had been cut.

Who?

Her.

Really hope that friends in USA realise that my Civilisations episodes on PBS are very different from original BBC versions, have been drastically changed. 

The originals were far from 'anodyne' I promise.

It's PBS. We'll have what PBS decides we'll have.  PBS decided her look and her manner outweighs her message.

There's more at the Telegraph.uk about the U.S. version focusing more on Christianity than her version, and that she's pleased with the way the British treated her material. And whatever the outcome she said what she wanted to say.

It's all such a sad shame. Because it doesn't have to be this way where a little give and take will go a long way. All she would have to do is visit a hairdresser, allow a touch of makeup, accept some advice from costume department. But no.

I'm too old now myself to work up any sympathy, for Mary Beard or for PBS viewers. Both lose. And I don't care.

Here's how my attitude calcified. I can actually trace it.

I've watched every YouTube video on Egyptology and Egyptian hieroglyphics available. Only 1% of them are in American English. Apparently it's a field not so attractive to Americans. British have the lockdown on videos. Same is true with Amazon Prime. There is nothing on Netflix and Hulu has scant offering. When an American accent comes on, it's like a breath of fresh air. I'm not kidding. Not exaggerating. Even if the Americans say unhelpful things and even when the British are good.

There is an old female British Egyptologist who does very well explaining things. Her approach is uniquely personal. Touching in places. She has a marvelous manner of digging in enthusiastically in such a way to bring her audience along with her strange obsessions. She is worth watching for her unique insights.

For example. Last night I watched a video of her looking at tomb paintings, just my cup of tea right up my alley, and I've read everything available on them, then Joann Fletcher comes along and breathes them new life. She puts us right in the families that prepared these places so carefully. "Look, there is no reaper, just Isis to embrace them in her warm arms." Warm? I never heard anyone talk like that about these Egyptian paintings. No reaper. Just warm arms. What an extraordinary perception. Decades of study and nobody ever said that. Nobody ever imbued those painted arms with warmth. Even after describing the monster that threatens to eat the heart of the person whose heart symbol does not balance with the feather of Maat. I love her for her perception. And I keep thinking what an ace personal friend she would be. I can overcome my bias against British accents as baby talk in one-on-one confabs but it's media saturation that forces me to mute them.

Everything else about her is intolerable. She's barely watchable. Beginning with her hair.

In both cases, Joann Fletcher and Mary Beard, a simple trip to the hairdresser and allowing them carte blanche would fix both their problems in a snap. But they don't. They're both professors and well beyond all cosmetics. And that makes them both unwatchable.

Because viewers are thinking the whole time, you're ridiculous hair is driving me nuts. A person with such nutty appearance cannot be sensible. A person who mispronounces everything repeatedly is not sensible.  It's not just distracting, it's disqualifying.

Joan Fletcher is worse. She's the original goth. She wears black top and back pants in the Egyptian desert. She wears super-shined plastic parade shoes. She walks about in the shade of her black umbrella. She's a black blob with super shined black shoes and outrageous fuzzy red untrimmed Orphan Annie hair wafting in her face, discussing outstanding archaeological insights while looking and sounding perfectly ridiculous. So her videos are an agonizing and frustrating experience.

She has dull black shoes in this video. Expect her to say, "LUv in their hOts" at any moment. You'll have to multiply this video X 100 videos to experience the full impact of admiration VS repulsion.

The style is what PBS is trying to protect their viewers from. And religious content to a lesser extent. Still, that's what you get with control freaks. And PBS viewers can always tune in the original shows. In that way PBS shoots themselves in the foot. While Mary Beard and Joann Fletcher shoot themselves in their own feet by holding steady to their creaky old style.

I'm not a hairdresser, and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn, but I know in both cases a simple haircut, a touch of blending makeup for television, and speech therapy will make both women a whole lot more attractive.